Feeling stuck is part of the human experience. It’s nearly universal to experience this feeling at some point in life, especially after a period of things working for you. The good news is that when you do, it’s an opportunity to move forward with even more clarity and purpose.
There are a few common reasons people get stuck. Oftentimes, it’s because they want something so bad that they can’t move toward it without getting discouraged or overwhelmed by the process. This could be a new job, relationship or health goal. Another reason might be a fear of failure or the need to perfect a project before releasing it to the world. This is where perfectionism and self-doubt can really hold us back.
Getting stuck is also sometimes an indication that a piece of our story needs to be developed or altered before moving forward. To combat this, I like to “zoom-out” and look at the overall genre of the story to see what might be missing before making changes at a scene level. You can check out episodes #12 and #13 of the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast to help you get started with this approach.
Other times, a feeling of stuck is a sign that there’s an inner conflict in our lives that needs to be resolved. Getting clear on what you’re fighting for and how to resolve that will give you the power to move forward with confidence and joy. This is where our journaling prompts in Listen to Your Heart can be extremely helpful.
You can use the prompts to figure out if you’re fighting for something that will never truly satisfy you, or if you’re just holding yourself back out of fear of the unknown. You’ll be able to identify the very real conflicts that you need to work through and learn how to create forward momentum, even in the smallest of ways, to make your life feel better than ever before.
The next time you’re stuck, take a deep breath and remember that this moment is full of wisdom and beauty. The universe is opening up for you to move forward once you allow yourself to embrace where you are and release all of the fears that keep you trapped there. You’ll soon realize that letting go of these fears will actually give you an incredible sense of freedom and power that you can create whatever your heart desires.